


Almost Unreal

by taitofan



Series: Vaughn-and-Skye-are-Brothers-verse [2]
Category: Harvest Moon, Harvest Moon: Animal Parade, Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-21
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2017-12-06 01:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taitofan/pseuds/taitofan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Vivi is summoned by the Witch Princess, she insists that Gale come with her to Sunny Island.  His life is about to take a sharp turn, and at the center of everything is Vaughn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_I have a problem_ , the letter had said.  _Remember, you owe me_.

Though it had been addressed to Vivi, the witch had gone to Gale and insisted that he come along too.  Compensation for leaving her as a frog for so long, she’d insisted.  He’d agreed, because what else did he have to do?  It wasn’t like there was anyone in Castanet who would miss him if he left for a while.  So he packed what few things he thought he’d need, locked up, and boarded the boat with Vivi without so much as a goodbye.

They were off to Sunny Island.

“I wonder what in the world Lilith could possibly want,” the witch wondered with a sigh as she stared down at the waves crashing into the side of the ship.  Gale didn’t answer, as he hadn’t the faintest idea either.  They hadn’t seen Lilith in almost half a century after all.  Vivi didn’t seem to expect an answer though, so she continued.  “She’s the one that insists she’s some sort of princess.  Honestly, a princess!  Can you imagine?  If she’s some dainty little princess, why doesn’t she get her royal subjects to help her?  Tch, I’m more of a princess than she’ll ever be…”

Of course, they both knew full well that neither of them were princesses, but Lilith had started using the term shortly after they’d met in Harmonica Town so long ago.  She had heard Vivi call herself that, back when he and Vivi had only been there a short time after being driven from Gale’s old village.  Lilith was younger than they were, but full of talent and promise.  That was, what?  Four centuries ago?  The years seemed to blur after a while, so Gale wasn’t exactly sure anymore.  He wasn’t even sure exactly how old he was…  Though he wasn’t particularly worried about it.  He was younger than Vivi and older than Lilith at least.

“That girl…” She continued, not caring that she wasn’t getting any answers.  “If she’d stayed in Castanet with us, whatever problem she’s having wouldn’t exist!”  And Vivi might not have been a frog for so long, Gale noted, though he didn’t bring it up.  Though she’d _mostly_ forgiven him for that, it was still a sore spot.

“It… was simply not… the place for her.”  Vivi reached a pale hand down, feeling the spray of the ocean hit her skin.  Gale assumed the conversation was over when she didn’t reply.  After a few minutes though, she turned to him, a serious look on her face.

“Sometimes I wonder if it’s really the place for us too.”  He wasn’t quite sure to say to that, though he had to admit that such a thing happened often, and this time Vivi seemed to want his input.

“You are… upset… about Angela.”  Her face darkened at the sound of the farmer girl’s name, but only for an instant.  She didn’t say anything more after that, though he hadn’t figured she would.  Though he really couldn’t blame the mortal for inadvertently breaking the witch’s heart when she married that carpenter boy.  It wasn’t as if Vivi had told her…  And besides, she should have known better than to get involved with a human anyway.  Nothing good could come of that.

Absolutely nothing.

\---

After a wholly uneventful trip, the mystical duo arrived at the dock of the small island. The ship barely let them disembark before it set off again, leaving them on the beach without a soul around, the cold fall air their only company.  While Vivi ranted and raved about Lilith being such a brat for not meeting them, Gale spotted a small shack near the dock and moved close enough to peer inside.  Nothing…  Gale was a patient man, but even he was a bit perturbed that Lilith hadn’t bothered to meet them.  How were they supposed to know where the witch lived?

“No use waiting around for that idiot,” came a voice from behind Gale.  Had the wizard been of a weaker constitution, the sudden voice might have jumped him.  “No way to tell how long he’ll be out fishing.”  Gale turned around to face the speaker who’d seemingly appeared out of nowhere.  It was a mortal man, rather tall and physically fit, with silver hair and violet eyes.  He was dressed like a—what did humans call those…?  Oh yes—a cowboy.  He was… rather attractive, Gale realized as he looked the man over from head to toe.  He quickly brushed such foolish thoughts aside though; the attractiveness of mortals was no concern of his after all.

“We’re not looking for some stupid fisherman,” Vivi piped up as she walked over to the men, putting her hands to her hips and giving the cowboy an annoyed look.  “We’re here to find the witch that lives on this island.  Take us to her right away!”

The man gave Vivi an incredulous look, and Gale couldn’t blame him.  Vivi’s people skills were just as lacking in his, only in the opposite direction.  They weren’t going to get anywhere if she acted so rude to everyone, so as much as he really didn’t want to…

“Please… forgive her lack of manners.  The Witch Princess… sent for us.  However… we do not know where she lives.  If you could please guide us…?”  The man looked at Gale for a few silent moments, before making a dismissive sound and turning around.  He began to walk away, but just as Gale saw Vivi open her mouth to yell at him, the man waved his hand, indicating that they should follow him.  And so they did.

The man didn’t say a word as he led them through a small town, then through a forest at the base of a mountain.  Gale was a bit surprised that they were going in so deep.  Vivi living so far away from people made sense; she liked to pretend she didn’t like anyone.  Lilith had always liked humans though, or at least she thought they were amusing.  Hadn’t she been living in a shack next to a mansion on the last island she inhabited?  He wondered what happened there that made her want to hide herself away in this new place.

“Right there.”  Gale hadn’t even noticed that they’d come to a small house, having been too caught up in his musings.  Vivi didn’t say anything to the man, instead heading straight to the door.  The man didn’t seem to care, and he turned to leave the way they’d come.  Gale briefly considered doing as Vivi had, but it just seemed rude to let him leave like that…

“Thank you…”  The man stopped, but didn’t turn.

“Hmph, it’s fine.  Might wanna tell your girlfriend to use some manners though.”  Girlfriend?  Gale would have laughed if he’d been that sort of person.  He was sure Vivi would have absolutely cackled in amusement.

“She is… just a friend.  I could never… _ever_ … think of her that way.”  The man nodded, and his posture seemed to loosen just a bit.  It was strange, and Gale didn’t know what to make of it.

“My mistake.  …Name’s Vaughn by the way.”  He began to walk again, briskly, as if not to allow Gale time to respond.  It was all for the better, he thought, as it was always awkward to have a mortal introduce themselves only to have to tell them that you _couldn’t_ tell them your own name.  The only living beings who knew him as anything as “Wizard” was a mere two—just Vivi and Lilith.  He doubted if he’d ever get to tell it to a mortal, but that was probably for the best anyway.

Gale watched Vaughn leave until there was no sight of him left.   Then he slowly followed where Vivi had run off too, a strange tingle of an unfamiliar emotion lingering at the edge of his mind.

\---

“About time you came inside.”

Vivi and Lilith were seated at a wooden table, but that wasn’t the first thing Gale noticed.  Bears.  Why oh why did Lilith have so many teddy bears?  He quickly recovered and joined them at the table, deciding that it probably wasn’t worth the hassle of asking.

“…Hello Lilith.”  The blonde witch and the silver-haired witch shared a look, before turning their gazes towards him.  “What…?”

“What were you doing out there?”  A twinge of confusion settled on Gale’s face, confused by Vivi’s question.  “With that terrible man.  What were you doing?”

“I was… just thanking him.  He did bring us here after all…”  While Vivi looked upset that Gale didn’t share her disdain for Vaughn, Lilith seemed curious for reasons unknown to the wizard.

“Vivi told me that Vaughn brought you here.  I’m surprised actually.  He’s not exactly Mr. Personality…  But then again, none of _us_ are either.”  Her smirk wasn’t a shock at all.  She never had been one to shy away from negative traits, her own or those of others.

“…Why did you call us here?”  Gale didn’t want to talk of the man who’d lead them there.  Why bother?  It wasn’t like they’d have anything more to do with him anyway.  They were there to help Lilith, and nothing more.

“Hey, don’t change the sub—”

“Fine,” Lilith interrupted.  “We’ll get back to you later.  Right now we need to talk about the Harvest Goddess…”

Gale didn’t like the sound of any of that, but he settled down for what was no doubt going to be a long story.  When it came to Lilith and the Harvest Goddess, it always was.

\---

“Vaughn, where have you been?  I was getting worried.”  Mirabelle’s expression did indeed look worried, and he didn’t doubt her words one bit.  That was just the kind of person she was.

“I was just helping some visitors find their way.  Nothing special.”  Mirabelle looked relieved, but the same could not be said about Julia.  She looked nothing short of suspicious, and he wasn’t sure what reason she had to be acting that way.  He didn’t like it though, not one bit.

“You were helping some lost strangers get somewhere?  Like, leading them there?”  Mirabelle shot her daughter a warning look, as if to say, ‘ _If he’s showing his soft side, don’t you dare discourage him_.’  Vaughn decided to pretend he couldn’t tell.  It wasn’t any of their business why he did what he did.

Julia backed off and went to find something to eat, and Vaughn and Mirabelle began going through the paperwork for all the new animals and supplies.  Vaughn thought that was the end of it, but it wasn’t five minutes later that Julia popped back in, a determined look on her face.

“What were they like?”  Vaughn sighed and set down the paper he was reading, giving her his best ‘ _you’re being a pest’_ look.  It didn’t deter her.  “The strangers you helped.  What were they like and where were they going?”

“A rude woman in bloomers and a dark-skinned man in robes.  They were going to see the witch in the forest.”  He offered no more, but it seemed to be enough for Julia.  Though, honestly, he liked the knowing expression even less than her suspicious one.

And, somehow, the fact that she left it like that worried him more than anything else she could have done.


	2. Chapter 2

“What?  You really called us all the way here to tell us _that_?”  There was something about Lilith’s tight smile that made Gale think she was hiding something.  It was so much like the expression Vivi wore when she insisted that she was over Angela that he couldn’t help but assume she’d gotten spurned by a mortal as well.

“I need to go where that stupid Harvest Goddess has set herself up, and right now she’s ignoring this place and moved on to Echo Village.  So I need to go there too.  It was such a pain coming here from Forget-Me-Not Valley though.  That’s why I wrote you that letter.  I had no idea you were gonna drag Gale here too.  I mean, jeez, three people helping me pack and move is kinda overkill…”

She looked thoughtful for a moment while Vivi grumbled more about it not being worth her time.  She smirked as an idea came to her, and Gale was almost positive he wasn’t going to like the next words out of her mouth.

“It’s settled, I’m giving this house to you, Gale!”

It took a lot to truly shock the wizard, but Lilith’s “gift” threw him off a bit.  More so than that, Vivi’s reaction really made him even more speechless than usual.

“Lilith…  That’s the best idea you’ve ever had!”

“…What.”

The girls ignored him and began to talk to each other faster than Gale could ever hope to keep up with.

It wasn’t as if he was surprised that Lilith would make a decision for him, but rather that it would be one so big.  He’d lived in Castanet for a long time.  How could he just…

Or couldn’t he?  He didn’t have any real ties there, and Lilith’s house was very out of the way, so he’d surely be left alone.  If he didn’t want to do fortune telling anymore, he wouldn’t have to.  And this island was so untouched that surely the night sky was clear and bright…  Maybe this would work after all.

“—and afterward I’ll go to Castanet and get Gale’s junk sent to him.  Maybe I’ll even take that dumb house of his…”  Gale didn’t care if Vivi took his house that he wasn’t going to be needing so long as she got his research, books, and telescope to him.  He had no doubts that she didn’t care about any of that though, so he wasn’t worried.

…This was really happening, and he was actually a bit excited, even if he didn’t outwardly show it.  A new beginning…  Yes, that sounded nice.

\---

Vaughn had left the island the morning after his meeting with the mysterious visitors, and when he returned the next week, he thought nothing of them.  After all, they surely must have finished their business with the Witch and gone home.  But the moment he entered Mirabelle’s shop, Julia rushed over to him with an alarmingly large grin on her face.

“Vaughn!  Guess what happened while you were gone?”  He was tempted to ask her where his hello was, but he knew he’d never hear the end of it if he acted like he cared.  She and Mirabelle both latched onto those things like piranhas. 

“What?” he asked instead, not up to playing guessing games.  She frowned for but a moment before her grin was firmly back in place.

“The Witches left together, and now the Wizard is living here instead!”  Vaughn had assumed the strangers were witches and wizards, and now he had confirmation.  He didn’t show anything but perfect neutrality though, because he knew exactly where Julia was going with this.

“That so?  Your point is _what_ exactly…?”  She had that _I’m-not-fooled_ look now, and he didn’t like it.  He didn’t want to hear this, especially not from her.

“Come on, I’m not an idiot.  You aren’t nice to perfect strangers on a whim.  You think he’s hot, don’t you?”  He gave her an impressive glare, but she didn’t stop smiling.  If anything, she just looked more pleased with herself, and it was annoying as all hell.

“…You’re out of your mind.”  She giggled, and as if the universe hated him, Mirabelle chose that moment to walk into the room.

“What’s so funny Julia?  You aren’t teasing Vaughn again, are you?  You know you shouldn’t; he’s very sensitive!”  The women shared a laugh at his expense, and he desperately grasped for something to distract them.

“How do you know about all of this anyway?  They don’t seem like very sociable people.”  Julia nodded, and he was honestly a bit shocked when she didn’t immediately retort with ‘ _you mean like **you**?_ ’

“I saw the Witches leave and went to the Wizard to introduce myself with the others of course!  He seemed kinda overwhelmed though, so we’ve left him alone for now.  We don’t want to scare him so much he turns into you!”  …Well, there it was.  Good old Julia, never disappointing him for long.  “And don’t think you can distract me either!  I know you think the Wizard is hot, so you better get to the mountains before you leave and properly introduce yourself!”

…He was seriously going to strangle her one of these days.

“Oh my, so that’s what you were giggling about!  Vaughn dear, don’t look so sour, it’s perfectly natural.  He is a very handsome man after all!  I think it would be a wonderful idea if the two of you became close.”

Both of them.  He was going to strangle _both_ of them, and no court would ever convict him after they learned why he’d done it.

“…I’m leaving now.  I’ll come back to do the orders when you two aren’t feeling so ridiculous.”  He ignored their protests to come back and quickly fled the shop.  Mirabelle would leave him alone, but Julia…  He expected Mirabelle could keep her there for about ten minutes before she’d sneak out and come after him, like the annoying little sister she thought she was to him.  If he went to his usual room at the inn, she’d find him.  If he went to the town, beach or jungle, she’d find him.  But the mountains were so big that surely he could lose her there…

He liked to spend his free time there anyway, so it worked out, and he thought nothing of it when he crossed the bridge to the mountain area.  All he thought about was how annoying his “family” was and how he was crazy for always coming back and how wrong they always were and—

And when he found himself outside a familiar house rather than on the mountain proper, he couldn’t deny it anymore.  The Wizard was absurdly attractive and Vaughn actually wanted to know more about him.  It had been a very long time since he’d felt this way, and in fact there had only been a few men to catch his interest _period_ in the twenty-six years he’d been alive.

Oh, he knew he was gay and didn’t deny that.  He wasn’t ashamed of himself, and he hadn’t hid it since he was a teenager and left home.  After his real parents shunned him, he swore he’d never hide who he was or change himself to be like other people.  It just wasn’t something he went around telling other people either; it wasn’t anyone’s business.  Of everyone on Sunny Island, only Mirabelle and Julia knew, as they were the closest thing to a family he had these days.  Sometimes he wished they _didn’t_ know, like today, but still…

It was nice to know that they supported him.  Even if they were annoying about it.

He stared at the door, wondering how many people had already bugged the poor man who obviously liked to be left alone.  Though their meeting had been brief, he could tell that much.  Of course, it hadn’t really seemed like he disliked being around others—he’d asked for help and had been polite—it was more like he wasn’t used to it.  If he was a wizard, surely he’d lived for a long time and probably had been like the Witch and didn’t interact with humans very often.  Maybe he just needed to find the right person to open up to…?

Vaughn almost laughed at the very thought.  Right, as if _he_ could be the person to melt the ice with _anyone_.  He was rough and impatient and scared people.  Every boyfriend he’d ever had—all three of them—had come to the same conclusion.  He was bad around people and it just wasn’t worth putting up with him in the hopes they’d eventually click.  And since Vaughn didn’t _do_ casual sex, well, he was very used to being alone.

And even now he was squashing that tiny part of him that insisted he didn’t want to be alone anymore.

He turned to go, having decided to leave the Wizard alone.  After all, even if somehow they miraculously got along and got together, he was still a human.  Why would a wizard ever want to be with a mere human?

“…Hello.”  Vaughn didn’t jump.  Well, not visibly at least.  He turned back and saw the Wizard standing near the trees, a basket filled with mushrooms and herbs in his hands.  Now Vaughn was very glad that he hadn’t knocked on the door and felt like a fool waiting for someone who wasn’t even home.  “I’m… sorry if you were looking for me.  May I help you…?”

…Though he guessed just being there was enough to show he had been waiting anyway.  He tried not to feel embarrassed, but he couldn’t help the slight flush that appeared on his cheeks.

“Just wanted to introduce myself properly since you’re living here and all.”  He really hoped Julia didn’t find out about this.  “I’m Vaughn, the animal trader around here.  I travel to different places and come here on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  I don’t suppose you’ll have much use for livestock, but if you want a pet or something, I can help you out.”

The Wizard stared quietly for several long moments, and much to Vaughn’s sincere surprise, the man’s silence didn’t bother him.  Normally people who wasted his time were quickly told off, but this time he didn’t feel an ounce of ire.  He didn’t even bother trying to justify the reason when he knew very well why this was.

He had a goddamned crush on the Wizard, Goddess help him.  This was going to be _terrible_.

‘ _Or will it?_ ’ he wondered.  He was a man who knew what he wanted, and while interpersonal relationships frequently failed him, it wasn’t often he even wanted them.  But this time he knew that he _did_ want one; he _did_ want to know more about this mysterious, exotic man.  And why would he deny himself what he wanted?  He was no blushing schoolgirl; if he wanted this, he was damn well going to attempt to get it, not pine from afar.

“…Thank you.”

…Though he could tell it certainly wasn’t going to be easy.

“Not a problem.  Well, I’ll let you be now.”  He sensed that the conversation was over and turned again to leave.  Normally being brushed off made him angry too, but he still felt fine.  This man was…  Calming.  Just being around him seemed to soothe his nerves.  And today’s progress was fine.  He hadn’t been completely ignored as the others seemed to have been at least.

“Wait…”  Vaughn paused and glanced back.  The Wizard was looking off to the side, seemingly having an internal debate.  After a few more long moments of this, his hands tightened around his basket.  Vaughn couldn’t even imagine why he seemed so tense.  Was he really that sick of having visitors?  Then why had he asked him to wait?  “…Would you like to… come in?  I can make coffee…”

Oh.   _Well_ . This was an interesting turn of events.

“Hnn.  Suppose I have the time.”  The Wizard didn’t need to know about Julia, so he made no mention that it wasn’t as if he had anywhere to be anyway.

Vaughn had never been into the cottage when the Witch had lived there, so he had no idea what it had looked like before.  Now though, it was rather…  Empty.

“I don’t have… much…  My belongings should arrive within the season…”  He still had a kettle and a large iron oven though, and he must have left the cottage at some point to buy the coffee.  Vaughn hoped he had some milk, because as much as he wanted to start something with this man, he wasn’t about to drink his coffee black.  Sugar didn’t matter, but it was café au lait or no deal.

They said nothing as the Wizard started to brew the coffee, and Vaughn yet again was surprised that the silence wasn’t irritating.  Sure, he liked it to be quiet, but that was because he liked to be alone.  People were usually irritating, and their awkward silences when they were afraid of him were no better than idiots who didn’t know when to shut up.  It was a thin line, and Vaughn realized he was easily agitated, but the Wizard…  He wasn’t making him feel that way at all.  It was interesting, and it made Vaughn want to know him more.

Then the Wizard brought out a bottle of milk from a small refrigerator and Vaughn could have declared his intent to marry him if he hadn’t thought that would scare him off.

“The girl on the farm…  She gave me this as a welcoming present…”  He set it before Vaughn and gave him the smallest of smiles.  “…Please use it as you see fit.”

Not only milk, but milk from Chelsea’s ranch?  The Wizard was wooing him and he didn’t even realize it.

“Thank you kindly.”  He looked from the bottle, and to the Wizard, who was tending to the coffee.  “You don’t like milk?”  Because that could be a problem with as much as Vaughn loved milk.  And it wouldn’t hurt to find problem areas.

“No, it’s not that…  I just… drink it black.  I don’t have much at the moment to use it in is all…  So you might as well use it… so it doesn’t go to waste.”  The coffee was ready shortly, and the Wizard poured some into two mugs, placing one before Vaughn before sitting down at the small table across from him.  “There isn’t much I really dislike…  Other than squid and octopus…  So _slimy_.”

“Sounds like you like them as much as I like carrots,” he said absently as he poured in the milk.  The Wizard had only filled it halfway so he could add plenty.  He obviously knew his coffee.  One sip and that opinion only grew stronger.  “This is excellent.  You must make a lot of coffee.  Most folks around here either make it too strong or it’s almost water.”

“Thank you… for the compliment.”  It was the second time the Wizard gave a small smile, and Vaughn couldn’t help but think that this was a rare occurrence, and thus this was a good sign.  But he wasn’t going to get ahead of himself yet.

But by the time he left that evening and headed to the inn, he thought that the long comfortable silences and small bouts of easy small talk had been the most pleasant he’d ever had in an extremely long time.  He felt that he knew the Wizard a little better…

He just hoped that he wouldn’t mess this up like all the times in the past.

\---

Gale starred at the door after Vaughn left, wondering how he’d ended up in the position.  Why had he invited him in?  Why had he entertained him for hours?  How in the world had this human not found him boring or strange after spending so much time with him, when they spent more time not talking than they _did?_

Well, he knew the answer to the first two questions, but not the last one.  But he’d made his decision long ago, and no matter what, he was sticking to it.  The witches got into enough trouble chasing after humans.  He’d seen firsthand, over and over, how terrible of an idea it was.  He wasn’t putting himself through that, no matter how attractive the man or how interested said attractive man seemed to be.

Besides, with any luck, by the next time he saw Vaughn, all of these foolish thoughts would be gone.

…But that time certainly hadn’t come yet.

Gale sighed and got up to make more coffee.  It was going to be a long night…

\---

The next day, Vaughn didn’t have time to do anything except work.  He hadn’t touched a single paper the entirety of Wednesday, and he had to catch the ship off the island when it left that night.  So the moment he woke up, he packed his few belongings in preparation, and set off to Mirabelle’s shop.

And he immediately wished he hadn’t.

“Vaughn!  Where were you yesterday?  I looked all over and couldn’t find you!”  Julia looked worried, and though he did feel a bit guilty, there was no way he was going to tell her.

“I was out,” he answered shortly, heading straight for Mirabelle’s counter and taking a binder out of his bag.  “Don’t worry about me, all right? Now I’ve got a lot of work to do…”

To her credit, Julia did stay quiet as he worked, and Mirabelle didn’t say a word unrelated to business.  After a while, Julia left without a word, and Vaughn paid her little mind.  She was likely going to hang out with her boyfriend, or maybe his sister, who just happened to be Julia’s best friend.  The siblings could have her—he needed to stay focused.

It wasn’t until almost dinnertime before Julia came back.  And one look at her face told Vaughn that he wasn’t going to like the next words out of her mouth one little bit.

“So after I hung out with Elliot and Natalie, I went and talked to the Wizard….”  Vaughn shot up and glared at the girl.  She’d seen it so many times that she didn’t even flinch.

“Julia, what the hell is your problem?  Will you just stay out of my business?  Is that so hard for you?”  Julia didn’t back down.  She didn’t even stop smiling.

“Yeah, I guess it is.  Cause you’re practically my brother, and I want you to be happy.  And I really want you to feel like you can trust me!”  She paused and her smile fell a bit as a look of guilt formed on her face.  “I’m sorry I wouldn’t stop teasing you.  I won’t bug you about him anymore…  But please, if something happens, won’t you trust me enough to tell me?”

“…Fine.”  Her smile was back tenfold, and Vaughn shook his head with a hint of fondness.  Then he noticed Mirabelle looking at them expectantly and he sighed.  Well, there was no point hiding it from them he supposed…

“I was with the Wizard most of the day yesterday.  He invited me in for coffee and we talked.  That’s it.” He waited a few seconds for them to get disappointed before he continued.  “If I have it my way, it’ll eventually be more than that.” Their response was swift—he found the two women hugging and congratulating him, whether because he found someone he wished to pursue or because he admitted it, he wasn’t sure.

All of the touching quickly got annoying…  But he let them do it as much as they wanted, just this once.

Sometimes he did miss having a family, even if his family had boiled down to his little brother as his parents were never around. He had cousins on both sides of his family, but he’d never met them.  And yes, sometimes he did wonder if he should find his brother and make amends, apologize for leaving and not telling him…  But he was determined to leave the past behind him.

These women were his makeshift family now, and they would be his support in his future, whether the Wizard would be in it or not.

‘ _Sorry Skye_ ,’ he thought as he tentatively drew his arms around Mirabelle and Julia.  ‘ _I’m sure you’re doing fine without me though_.’

\---

Gale woke up late Friday morning, an air of determination about him.  He had until Wednesday.  That was when Vaughn would be back.  That was how long he had to convince himself that he was blowing things out of proportion and really, Vaughn wasn’t _that_ attractive.  Really.  His personality was pretty sour too.  …Even if he hadn’t gotten angry at how slowly he spoke or the long silences…  No!  He didn’t care about Vaughn, and Vaughn didn’t care about him.

That girl who’d come to his door the night before—she was mistaken.

“ _Look, I know he’ll kill me if I tell you this, but…  I need to.  Vaughn likes you, and that’s really rare.  And I do mean that he **likes** you.  So please, if you don’t have any interest, at least try to be his friend.  He’s lonely, and even that would be enough_.”

No, there was no way Vaughn could feel any attraction to him.  People in general just weren’t interested in him.  And that was fine, because he didn’t care about them either!

…The fact that he couldn’t stop thinking about Vaughn was just a fluke.  He’d forget about him by the coming Wednesday, he just knew it.

Because if he didn’t, then that meant this attraction was serious, and he was going to have a problem on his hands.


	3. Chapter 3

When Vaughn set foot back on Sunny Island, all he could think was, “Why do I keep leaving?”  It was a thought he’d had many times in the past, but after the week from hell he’d just had, he was thinking it with a vengeance.  The city was terrible, the country was terrible, and while this island wasn’t perfect, it was still so much more tolerable.  And Chelsea alone seemed to keep him plenty busy, so it wasn’t as if he couldn’t make money by living on the island and only leaving one day a week to get animals.

But living in the inn or hotel would get expensive, and he couldn’t ask Mirabelle to let him stay.  If only…

“Hey, careful with that!  That crazy broad said if we break any of this, she’ll turn us into frogs!”

“And you believe her?  More like our pay will get docked.”

“Whatever, just be careful!”

Two middle-aged men were carrying crates off the ship he’d just exited.  They were struggling—there was two of them and three crates.  They kept walking a ways, setting a box down, running back to grab another, walking it up, putting it down…  It was pathetic.  And since Vaughn only had one pack to carry…

“Need some help?”  The fact that he clearly saw “The Wizard” printed on the top of one of the crates had _nothing_ to do with his decision.

“Uh, sure buddy, if you want.  You know where this, uh, wizard guy lives?”  Vaughn smirked and picked up the third crate easily.

“Follow me.”

\---

Gale was going crazy. None of his books or research had arrived yet, and without his telescope, there wasn’t a lot he could to do start new work.  That gave him a lot of time to think.  Normally this would be alright, but not now.  Not when his mind kept going back to Vaughn.

He was set to arrive that day, and Gale hadn’t done a good job at forgetting him.

It made no sense; they’d only spoken twice and none of it had been very substantial.  Gale felt…  Well, he felt very human.  Humans got these silly crushes on others, where their attraction, whether physical or emotional, infatuated them so that they acted like fools.  Not that he had a crush or anything—really!—but, well, Gale certainly _felt_ foolish.  He knew that this was a bad road to go down.  Humans didn’t understand.  Humans didn’t live long enough _to_ understand.

Vivi and Lilith knew first-hand how badly falling in love with a mortal could end up.  And Gale…

Gale liked to pretend it had never happened.  That he’d never been so utterly naive to even attempt it.  But with all of these thoughts about Vaughn, the bad memories were starting to make themselves known again.  He’d already gone through the pain of losing a mortal lover once, nearly a century ago.  It wasn’t an experience he ever wanted to face again, and one he swore he never _would_.  And Vaughn was really nothing like him—not in looks, not in personality.  So why?  Why did he feel this way?  Why couldn’t he just _forget_?

A knock on his door spared him any more thoughts on that subject.

The random visits he got had quickly slowed down after everyone met him and decided—he assumed—that he was boring.  That was fine with him.  Every now and then the farmer girl would show up with a present and attempt some small talk, but even that had been infrequent.  He honestly had no idea who it would be, but he knew who he hoped it _wouldn’t_ be…

And when he opened the door and saw that very person standing there, he swore his heart momentarily stopped.

“Hello…  Vaughn.”

Vaughn nodded his hello, and seeing what the other man was carrying, Gale quickly stepped aside to let him in.  Two strange men followed, and soon the crates containing his belongings were safely on the floor.  Gale signed a paper for the men stating that his property was delivered undamaged, and they were soon on their way.  Vaughn, however, didn’t make a move to leave, and Gale tried his best not to feel pleased by that.  He failed.

“Want some help taking care of this stuff?”

His first thought was, “ _No, my research is more valuable than your life_ ,” which was his knee-jerk reaction to anyone wanting to handle his books or telescope.  He’d almost had a fit thinking of all the ways Vivi or the movers could have damaged his precious possessions.  But almost as soon as the thought had entered his mind, he felt guilty.  He had no reason to think Vaughn would be reckless with his things.

Of course, he really didn’t have a good reason to know he’d be careful either.  At least, not one he was willing to entertain.

“That would…” he paused, wondering if those silly notions in his head were clouding his judgment. Yes, probably, but he couldn’t bring himself to send Vaughn away.  “That would be wonderful.  Thank you…”

The smile on Vaughn’s face at his acceptance was so small that Gale wasn’t even positive that he’d actually seen it.

He was probably just imagining things.

Projecting them…

…He was in so much trouble.

\---

“My, my, you certainly are running late today.”

There was no accusation in Mirabelle’s voice, but Vaughn still felt himself bristle at the statement.  That smile she wore…  It was ridiculously perceptive.  As if she knew exactly where he had been and why he’d been there.

She was right, of course, but he didn’t have to like it.

“Were you with the Wizard?”  Julia was bound to give him a nasty tick in his left eye one day, but he was determined not to have that day come for at least a few more years.

“I helped a couple of idiots bring his stuff from the beach to his house,” he explained, figuring that the sooner he got this over with, the quicker she’d leave him alone, “then I helped him put it away.  Helped set up his telescope.  Simple stuff that ain’t gonna whet _your_ appetite for gossip.”

“But you _did_ spend the whole afternoon with him,” she pointed out, smiling a little too brilliantly than he thought she had any right to.

“I did.  And now I’m going to work, and you’re going to shut up and let me.”

Amazingly, she did just that, taking her leave with nothing but a promise that she’d be home by dinner time.  Mirabelle giggled for a moment before composing herself and telling her daughter to have fun.

He tried not to be nervous.  Surely, these two wouldn’t keep poking their noses where they didn’t belong.  Julia was just going to see her boyfriend or something.

Right?

\---

“What the hell do you mean, _my room is gone_?”

The man standing behind the counter wasn’t the usual proprietor, and Vaughn supposed that was how his usual room—that he had literally _every week_ —was gone.  And as the man whimpered on about all the rooms being booked, he got angrier and angrier until he turned on his heel and stormed out.

As he made his way to the hotel, his mind wandered back to Julia.  It seemed far too extreme for her to have bribed the inn, and he quickly pushed the thought aside.

But then the hotel was somehow all booked up too.

And for the life of him, he couldn’t get Mirabelle or Julia to unlock their door.

“The hell are they trying to do?” he growled as he gave up on Mirabelle’s house.  He wondered if it was even worth trying anyone else, or if Julia had the whole town in on it.  For her sake, he hoped she hadn’t been blabbing his business around the island.  While he didn’t care who knew he was gay, it wasn’t something he felt _everyone_ needed to know.  And they sure as hell didn’t need to know anything about the Wizard’s involvement in the situation.

The Wizard…

He felt like smashing in one of Mirabelle’s windows just so he could give them a piece of his mind, but no.  He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.  He was going to go into the mountains and sleep outside, and in the morning he’d be able to get the pleasure of seeing Julia’s face fall when she realized her stupid little plan hadn’t worked.

But it seemed as if someone had it out for him, because he was all of ten steps off the bridge to the mountains when he saw a familiar figure sitting on an upturned log, staring up at the sky and writing in a notebook.  One of the very notebooks he’d helped unpack that very afternoon.

He quickly turned to go the other way—maybe he could just sleep in one of Chelsea’s barns and leave before she got up—but a well-placed stick crunching under his boot alerted the Wizard that he wasn’t alone.  He seemed to tense for a moment, but once he turned to face Vaughn, his shoulders relaxed.

“Vaughn.”  Was it just Vaughn, or did the moonlight make the Wizard seem even more attractive than the sun?  And how did he get off saying his name in such an innocent yet oh-so-honeyed manner?  Did this man even know what he was doing?  “I… did not expect to see you again today.”

“Can’t say I did either,” he admitted, shifting his pack from one shoulder to the other.  When the Wizard gave him a quizzical look, Vaughn questioned what was better—Julia’s face, or doing the exact same thing she’d probably been hoping for.  He quickly came to a conclusion.  “Apparently, every place in town is _conveniently_ booked up.”

“Is… there a big event going on…?”  Part of Vaughn wanted to tell the Wizard exactly what he thought was going on, but he didn’t want to scare him off this early in the game, before he knew what his chances of success even were.

“Not a thing.”  The next festive was going to be the Cow Festival, and that surely wasn’t going to bring in an enormous crowd.  “No one wants to let me in either, so I’m gonna sleep out here, I suppose.”

“It’s… getting cold.”  To anyone else, Vaughn would have snapped “ _No shit, it’s only half a season before winter,_ ” but this wasn’t just anyone.  Once again, the Wizard was coaxing out that patience that Vaughn hid away from the rest of humanity.  “You could… stay with me tonight.  As payment… for your help.  If you’d like, that is…”

Julia’s disappointed face would have to wait.

“That’s mighty kind of you.  I think I’ll take you up on that.”

He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw the slightest hint of flush on the Wizard’s face.  Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t kill Julia after all…

\---

“Sorry I interrupted your work.”

Gale shook his head as he poured the coffee into two mugs.  He only filled Vaughn’s half way, topping it off with milk.    He reasoned with himself that it wasn’t telling that he knew how Vaughn liked his coffee.  Café au lait was simple enough to remember.

“It is… no problem.”  He didn’t mention that he’d been itching to map out the stars all day, nor that he’d been very irritated upon being disturbed.  After all, that would mean he’d also have to admit that despite all that, he’d stopped for Vaughn’s sake, and honestly, once he saw who interrupted him, he hadn’t even cared.  “…You are not a bother.”

Humans _should_ be bothers, he reminded himself.  He didn’t need them and he was better off without them.  Humans led to heartbreak and pain, and he was going down the same path he had before.  The same path that tore Lilith and Vivi up time and time again.  He _knew_ better.

He couldn’t help himself.

 “You feeling okay?”  Gale pushed those thoughts aside as best he could, which was, at best, at the very edge of conscious thought.  “Your face is awfully red.”

“I am… fine.  Thank you for your concern…”  Vaughn didn’t look very convinced, but he didn’t question him, instead sipping his coffee.  He wished Vaughn didn’t understand him so well; it would have made ignoring these terrible feelings much easier.  Of all the people to go and develop a crush on after so many decades, it was another hum—

_Oh no_ , he thought, the realization hitting him head on.  There, he’d gone and _admitted_ it.  He had a crush on Vaughn.  There was no turning back.  This was _awful_.

“Look, I hate to pry, but you look pretty sick.”  And Vaughn honestly did look as if he didn’t want to press the issue.  Why couldn’t he just be dismissive or overly friendly like all the others?  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Y-yes.  I’m just…” he scrambled for something plausible, “not used to this schedule.  I used stay up very late and sleep in… so I could study the night sky.  But until my telescope arrived, I have… changed that cycle.  Now I’m trying to find the right schedule to keep…  That is all.”

Vaughn seemed to buy it.  He actually looked a bit wistful.

“So, you study stars?”  Gale nodded; Vaughn didn’t seem like the type of guy who was into astronomy, but he didn’t seem critical either.  “My little brother really loved stars.  I swear, if he hadn’t of wanted to be a chef, he probably would have done what you do.  Always prattled on about how he was a prince of the stars, or something foolish like that.  Really loved staring up at the sky…  Hell, that was his name.  Skye.”

There was a far off look in Vaughn’s eyes, and Gale wasn’t sure he’d meant to say all of that.  But Vaughn obviously wasn’t the kind to open up like that to strangers, or maybe _anyone_ , so he figured he may as well see where it went.

“Was…?”

“Oh, well, _is_.  He’s alive, far as I know.  Haven’t seen him in years, not since, what, a year after I left home?  Heard he ended up running off too, but I had no interest in talking to the rest of my family, so I don’t really know.”

Gale pondered his next words carefully.  Prying too much could cause Vaughn to clam up, but he was far too curious now.  He…  He really wanted to know more about Vaughn.  It was a bad idea, he knew, but he hadn’t wanted something like this in so long…!

“You… are not close to your family…?”  Vaughn laughed at that, albeit a bit darkly.

“Hell no.  Bastards threatened to disown me if I didn’t magically start being interested in girls.  So I beat them to the punch and left.  Only told Skye about it, but the kid was so mad at me for leaving him alone that he didn’t want to talk to me when I tried calling him later.”  He set down his empty coffee mug and chuckled again.  “Guess I can’t blame him.  I should have taken him with me instead of leaving him with the jackals.  I can only hope the kid turned out alright.  Maybe found a nice wife or something.”

Gale didn’t know if Vaughn realized that he just admitted he didn’t prefer women.  Nor did he know if he wanted to acknowledge that admission.  But Vaughn looked so melancholy…

“Perhaps…  I can help?”  He stood up and opened a trunk that contained the items he hadn’t put away yet, mostly because he hadn’t thought he’d need them.  Most importantly, it housed his crystal ball.  He brought it to the table and showed it to Vaughn, who looked at it curiously.  “I… told fortunes back in Castanet.  Love fortunes mostly… but I can show a person’s location as well.  Perhaps I could… show you your brother?”

Vaughn sat still for a few long moments, before nodding firmly.  Gale set the ball down and focused his magic in what he knew.  It, admittedly, wasn’t much, but he was able to focus on Vaughn’s unique signature and feel outward.  If the man who shared Vaughn’s blood wasn’t within a certain radius, this would fail without something more concrete to go on, but if he happened to be close enough…

“Ah, is this…  him?”  Vaughn looked at the hazy picture as it became clearer.  Gale heard him suck in his breathe at the sight.  He took it that was a _yes_. The silver-haired young man certainly looked like he could be related to Vaughn.  The brunet man he was curled up with though…

“Well I’ll be damned,” Vaughn murmured, sounding a bit unbelieving, “there he is.  And he went and got himself a boyfriend.  So much for that wife idea…”

Gale was only able to keep the image up for a few more minutes, letting Vaughn watch until he could hold it no longer.  Vaughn stared at the blank ball for a while, before he looked at Gale, offering him a genuine smile that warmed a part of Gale he thought would never feel that way again.

“Thank you.  I’m glad he’s doing alright.  That’s some impressive magic there.”  Gale was about to say that it was nothing—only slightly more impressive than parlor tricks—when Vaughn smirked. “Now, what was that about being able to tell love fortunes?”

“Huh…?”

“How does that work?”  He reached out and gently tapped the crystal with a blunt fingernail.  It said a lot that Gale trusted him enough not to insist that he stop.  “Can you see who someone loves?  Or who loves them?”

“Well, both…”

“So you could look right now and see who _anyone_ on the island loved?”  Gale nodded.  “You could see right now who I love, and who loves me?”

“…Yes.”  _Please_ , he thought, _don’t ask me to do that_.

But he guessed that there was no such thing as a perfect man, because that was precisely what Vaughn asked him to do.

“At least look into my heart, or whatever you do.  Not that I’m doubting you can do it—you’ve proved you aren’t lying about this wizard thing—but I’d like to see how it works.  I don’t really care if you know who it is.”

Gale sighed; how could he tell Vaughn that he didn’t want to know himself?  He didn’t need to know about whatever handsome city man Vaughn wanted to be with.  But, it was really for the best to see concretely that it _wasn’t_ him and try to move on.  So he settled his hands above the crystal ball again, focusing the magic on the emotions within the man before him.  Slowly, the ball turned hazy, and an image began to form.  And…

And there was obviously something wrong, because all he saw was himself.

“I…  I don’t understand,” he said, not remembering the last time he hadn’t been able to perform this feat.  _This_ was a parlor trick.  It should have worked.  “I apologize.  I’m not sure why…  Why I’m there…”

“Why are you sorry?”  Vaughn looked him in the eyes, and Gale was having trouble thinking with the intensity he was met with.  “I don’t see anything wrong with your magic.  Seems to be working perfectly.”

“O-oh…?”  The magic spell slipped away, and in his daze, the magic instead began to wander from one heart to another.  They both glanced down as the crystal suddenly began to show a rough outline of a person who was very obviously Vaughn.  Gale hastily stopped the spell, but it was too late.  Vaughn was smirking far too much to not have seen it.

“I…”  He couldn’t even say anything more.  What _could_ he say?  He’d just confirmed that Vaughn held affection for him.  Romantic affection.  That was all he used the spell for, not friendship, not lust, but a pure romantic inclination.  Whether a crush or real love, it didn’t matter.  It was a desire to love someone all the same.  And Vaughn felt the same for him as he did for Vaughn.

He wanted to be happy.  This should have been _perfect_.  Vaughn certainly seemed pleased, looking at him with warm eyes.  How many people got to see that?  Not many, he guessed.  A mutual attraction should lead to dating, maybe something more.  That was what normally happened.

That was what he’d done once before.

That was what he didn’t think he could do now.

“I’m sorry…”  He grabbed the crystal ball and placed it back in the trunk.  He didn’t sit back down; Vaughn silently watched him pace.  “I… had a human lover once.  We were very happy… for a few years.  But he aged, and I did not…  He didn’t like that, and he…  He left.  He swore he loved me, but he couldn’t…  Couldn’t be with me if I stayed forever young.  I don’t…”

He didn’t want to go through that.  He didn’t want to watch Vaughn get old and die even if he _did_ stick around.  Humans had such short life spans; it would be a tragedy just waiting to happen.

“Don’t want to get hurt again?” Vaughn supplied when Gale didn’t finish.  He nodded.  “Can’t say I blame you.  Must be hard to watch humans come and go.  Is there no way to… keep someone around longer?”

Of course there was.  Sure, some people were born into magic, but others were made.  Magic had to flow in their veins though, and without knowing if it resided in Vaughn…

But…  If it _did_ …

“There is… one way.  If you had the magical talent in your blood… you _could_ become immortal.”

“I’d be a wizard too?”  Gale nodded.  His previous lover hadn’t had that talent.  They’d both been very upset to learn the news.  “How do we figure that out?”

“…Do you… truly want to be with me?  Because even if you do… it will be very hard.  You would watch humanity fade away from you as I have…”

“Can’t say there are many people I get attached to.  Immortality might not be too bad if I weren’t alone.  Don’t you think?”

He did.  If it weren’t for Lilith and Vivi, he would have gone mad ages ago.  If Vaughn…  If they really could…

“Alright…  It is simple enough to test…”  And for the first time in what seemed like forever, Gale felt a glimmer of hope in his heart.  Perhaps this turn of events wasn’t the curse he’d been thinking.  Of course, if Vaughn showed no sign of magical talent…  Well, he’d just stay a hermit in the woods forever, because this was it.  If he got his hopes up one more time, only to find out it was useless, he was never dallying with humans again.  “Give me your hand.”

Vaughn stood up and did as he was told.  Gale removed his glove and set it on the table, then pressed their palms together.  Vaughn’s hand was much larger than his—lighter and warm and comforting.  Gale tried not to be distracted by the sensation and closed his eyes, concentrating on sending his magic out in search of anything Vaughn might have to offer.

He probed around, searching in common areas that a witch or wizard’s core magic tended to gather.  Hands, feet, mouth…  But there was nothing.  Getting a bit frantic, he spread out, looking for something, _anything_ …

And then, he almost laughed.  His _eyes_.  It was faint, but it was there!  A faint pulse of magic resided right behind Vaughn’s eyes.  He immediately withdrew his own magic and couldn’t stop the smile that came to his face.

“It’s there…  In your eyes…”  Vaughn didn’t seem as shocked by that as Gale would have thought he’d be, though he didn’t look as if he’d exactly expected it.

“Huh, I had to wonder…  Skye has this weird power where he can look at someone and make them freeze in place if they think he’s attractive, or something like that.  Didn’t know if that made him magical, but I always wondered.”

“That’s… quite high-powered, actually.”  A magical power that preyed upon the victim’s attraction…  It could be very dangerous in the wrong hands.  It was good that Skye seemed to be in a healthy relationship.  “Your magical signature is weaker, but…  It can be built upon, with practice.”

“So, does that mean you’ll teach me?”  Gale nodded, almost not believing that this was happening.  “And you’ll be with me?”

“Oh, I…”  He paused, wondering exactly why he was still fighting this.  True, there was a chance Vaughn would fail, even if it seemed his brother was quite talented.  But…  Didn’t the witches always say he should enjoy life more?  Would denying what he and Vaughn both wanted really hurt less than being with him and potentially losing him?

He didn’t know.  But he _did_ know what his heart wanted.

“Y-yes.  I… suppose that’s what we should do, since we both share a… mutual attraction.”

Vaughn chuckled before reaching down and gently taking Gale’s chin in his hand, tilting his head up.  Knowing what was coming, Gale let his eyes slip shut and enjoyed the feeling of being kissed after such a long time.

It was so much nicer than he remembered.

\---

“Vaughn!  How were you last night?”

Vaughn wasn’t even mad at the shit-eating grin on Julia’s face.  He couldn’t be—the previous night had been nothing like he expected, but it had been so much better.  To think—he had magic in his veins.  And Skye—who had a boyfriend, what a thought!—was apparently a strong magician, whether he realized it or not.  Now he and the Wizard…

“Great.  Spent the night with the Wizard.  Learned I got some magic in me.  Decided to quit living in the city and move here full time.  You know, the usual.”  He let Julia have the time it took to process everything he’d said before her face broke out in an even bigger grin and she all but threw herself in his arms.

“Oh my!  Are you serious?  You’re moving here?  With the Wizard?”  He nodded, and she squealed so loud she probably woke up the next island over.

They’d decided, before he left, that he would have an easier time learning if he lived on Sunny Island.  Vaughn was going to suggest moving into the hotel, as Mark did, but it had been the Wizard who asked if he wanted to stay there, with him.  Vaughn had answered him with another kiss.

“I’ll still have to leave once a week to pick up animals, but that will be it, and I won’t even have to be gone all day if I leave early and get back late.”  And the Wizard would teach him what he could when he didn’t have work with Mirabelle.  Which, admittedly, would lead to much more time working with the Wizard than with Mirabelle.  Chelsea could only buy and sell so many animals at once, after all.  But he wasn’t going to mention the whole becoming immortal thing until he knew if it was really going to happen.

The Wizard seemed optimistic, so he was too.  It was an odd feeling, but he didn’t dislike it.

“Moving in with the Wizard, wow!  Are you two together?  Do you know his name?  Can I be in your wedding?”  He rolled his eyes at her rapid-fire questioning.

“Yes, you fool, your annoying little plan last night worked.  We spent most of the night kissing.”  He made sure she was looking him in the eyes.  “ _Only_ kissing, and clothed, but yes.  We’re ‘ _together_. ‘   But you can stop that nonsense about marriage, because I have half a mind to never tell you a thing about us again, what with that little stunt of yours.”

She was immediately out of his arms and pouting, declaring that he should be thanking her for her help in getting them together.  Honestly, he _was_ rather thankful, though he would never tell her that.  He was really just glad that she’d forgotten the other question.

_“Will I ever get something to call you other than Wizard?”_

_“…Perhaps.  Knowing my name will give you… power over me, so it isn’t a thing I hand out lightly…  My last lover_ never _knew it…”_

A man he’d been with for a few years never knew the Wizard’s name, which only made Vaughn more determined to give the Wizard no reason to doubt him.  He’d messed up his other relationships, but not this one.  He couldn’t explain it, but this felt different.  Just kissing the Wizard had felt like nothing he’d ever done before, and he’d certainly kissed plenty of men in his time.

Well, it wouldn’t be more than a week before he’d be packed up and back on the island for good.  He’d figure out what was going on in time.  He could be patient when he wanted to, and for the Wizard…  He certainly was feeling a lot of things he normally didn’t for that man.  That was all the incentive he needed.

\---

Gale could hear the distant sound of the ship ready to head back to the city, taking Vaughn with it.  He knew that Vaughn would be back soon enough, and he had to see about getting a larger bed in that time.  They’d just barely squeezed together the night before, and if they ever wanted to…

He was glad no one was around to see his red face.

Knowing he had many things to decide before Vaughn was back, Gale stopped those lewd thoughts, got up, and went over to his bookshelf.  There were many old tomes there, some of which he barely ever touched.  Some held spells and potions he just wasn’t interested in memorizing, and some he deemed too dangerous to mess with.  He took one of the latter down and flipped it open.  Love magic was messy and easy to abuse.  He’d learned the spell he knew for money’s sake, but he refused to do anything to make someone fall in love with another.  That wasn’t what he wanted though…

His master had given him that book, long ago.  He’d mentioned one spell, a spell that could tell if two souls beat as one.  There was one perfect person for everyone, his master had said, though it was truly rare for circumstances to align well enough to let those people be together.  Though, if they _did_ find each other…

Gale had never used the spell before.  He hadn’t wanted to know.  He hadn’t been brave enough to see if the man who ultimately left him had been his perfect match.  But Vaughn…  They hadn’t known each other for a fraction as long as he’d known his last lover before he’d opened up to him, and yet everything seemed so much more… _intense_.

Could Vaughn be the one?

Should he…?

He looked at the spell, then slowly closed the book and put it back on the shelf.  Perhaps someday, if he felt he truly needed to know.  Not yet though.  He was beginning to think he just needed to let this play out and stop worrying about whether it was right or wrong or too fast or a disaster waiting to happen.

He liked Vaughn; Vaughn liked him.  Even if it didn’t work, at least he could say he tried, and he didn’t want any more regrets.

He’d make this work.  Somehow, he’d be happy.

…He might even tell Vaughn his name.


End file.
